National Gallery approves new Leonardo discovery

THE National Gallery has confirmed that a previously unattributed painting spotted by an American dealer will feature in its forthcoming Leonardo da Vinci exhibition as an original work by the artist.

It is the first time in recent memory that a dealer discovery
has been placed in an exhibition of such standing in this way.

A statement released by the National Gallery reads: "We felt
that it would be of great interest to include this painting in the
exhibition [opening in London in November] as a new discovery. It
will be presented as the work of Leonardo, and this will obviously
be an important opportunity to test this new attribution by direct
comparison with works universally accepted as Leonardo's."

While the statement maintains that Salvator Mundi, a
picture of Christ holding a globe with his right hand raised in
blessing, is currently in a private collection in New York, it has
been widely reported that that it is owned by a consortium of
American dealers being represented by Old Master specialist Robert
Simon.

Asked about its ownership status and potential value, Mr Simon
told ATG: "It is not on the market so that is not an issue I can
discuss. I am not involved in this as a dealer, but it is a project
I have agreed to take on."

The picture is believed to have been purchased at an estate
auction in the US around six years ago, although the location of
the sale, the price paid and the successful buyer have not been
revealed. It is thought, however, that it was originally either
spotted or bought by another American dealer, Alex Parish.

Mr Simon, who confirmed that Mr Parish "has been involved from
the beginning", first saw the 2ft 2in x 18in (66 x 45cm) oil on
panel in 2005 and said that he initially thought it was "a fine
painting close to Leonardo".

"It was highly compromised by overpaint," he added, "so we
weren't seriously thinking it was actually by Leonardo at that
stage."

Soon afterwards a comprehensive conservation programme was begun
as well as a research project undertaken by Mr Simon into the
provenance of the work and its connection to Leonardo.

As the possibility of Leonardo's authorship emerged, the
painting was shown to scholars in the autumn of 2007, including
Mina Gregori of the University of Florence, Nicholas Penny,
director of the National Gallery, and curators at the Metropolitan
Museum in New York.

In May 2008, it was taken to London to be directly compared with
Leonardo's Virgin of the Rocks in the National
Gallery.

There it was studied further by half a dozen other leading
Leonardo scholars, including Maria Teresa Fiorio of the Raccolta
Vinciana in Milan and Oxford University's Martin Kemp - the scholar
who has thrown his weight behind another 'Leonardo' discovery of
recent times, the so-called Bella Principessa vellum
portrait owned by Paris-based collector Peter Silverman.

According to Mr Simon, the consensus has been "unequivocal" that
Salvator Mundi was painted by Leonardo. The only
difference of opinion has come with regard to its date.

"Now that it has been restored you can see it has an
overwhelming spiritual presence," he said.

Naturally, considerable attention has focused on what this
picture could be worth. While the National Gallery's rules prevent
any work being exhibited that is for sale, the suggested value has
been anything between £100m-200m. Even at the lower end, this would
make it the most expensive artwork ever sold.

It will finally go on view at the National Gallery exhibition on
November 9 (running until February 1 next year).